kid doing a diy halloween decoration craft

Halloween is the perfect holiday to make some spooky decorations for the house. But you don’t have to spend a lot of money at the store. There are plenty of things lying around your house that can be used for crafts of all kinds. You just have to be creative. Here are some suggestions on DIY Halloween decorations with stuff from around the house. Your preschoolers will have a ball spending time with you and being creative at the same time.

Egg Box Bats

You’ll all be batty for this eggbox craft that’ll give your home a spooky makeover for Halloween. You can hang them with string or ribbon on windows, doors, or lights. This craft is great for reinforcing your child’s fine motor skills.

You will need:

  • Egg box
  • Black paint
  • Ribbon or string
  • Googly eyes
  • Scissors

Directions:

  • Cut a strip of three joined cups from your egg box.
  • Cut out scalloped edges on the outer two for the wings.
  • Paint it all black and allow to dry.
  • Add googly eyes.
  • Make two cuts in the top of the center cup for threading ribbon or string.
  • Hang them on a window or outside the front door.

Hand and Foot Print Ghosts

There’s no better way to commemorate your little ones’ hand and foot prints than with this spooky keepsake craft.

You will need:

  • Black cardstock
  • White acrylic craft paint
  • Damp paper towels or baby wipes for cleaning up
  • Foam brush
  • Black marker
  • Googly eyes

Directions:

  • Put a sheet of the black cardstock on the floor.
  • Using the foam brush, add paint onto their foot.
  • Stamp their foot gently onto the cardstock, pressing all toes to the paper. Lift their foot up straight to prevent smudging.
  • Wipe their foot clean with the paper towels or baby wipes.
  • If doing multiple feet, do one at a time and wipe them clean in between.
  • Once the paint is dry, draw a mouth or use an oat-shaped O.
  • Add two googly eyes.
  • Crop the cardstock, then mount to a card.
  • Add wording such as “Boo!” and the age of your child.

Lolly Stick Cobwebs

Nothing says spooky like spider webs. Make your own with some craft sticks, string, and glue. Just be sure to supervise your little ones if you’re going to use a glue gun.

You will need:

  • Craft sticks
  • String
  • White strong
  • White paint
  • Glue
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Googly eyes
  • Air drying clay

Directions:

  • Connect the craft sticks to make spokes like a wheel. Start with two stuck together to make one long stick, arranging the others around that central point.
  • Using poster paint, have your child paint the sticks white.
  • Let it completely dry.
  • To make the spiders, use the air drying clay, pipe-cleaners, and googly eyes.
  • Roll the clay into a ball, then glue pipe-cleaner legs and googly eyes once dry to make the spiders.
  • Create the web effect with string. Starting in the center, wind the string around each “wheel spoke,” working your way outwards in a spiral shape.
  • Once at the outside edge, glue the string into place as needed. A glue gun is great for this; not only is it easier, it leaves small wisps of leftover glue to add to the webbing.
  • Glue the spider into place; the center works best.
  • Hang the webs on doors, windows, lights or anywhere else you want a spooky effect.

Schedule a Tour of Country Home Learning Center Today

You will see evidence of a love of crafts when you visit us at Country Home Learning Center! From Halloween and fall to every season in between, you’ll find lots of crafts being concocted from extra stuff in our toddler and preschool rooms. Contact us today to book your tour.